Time for Love
by Torchwhovian
Summary: Torchwood is facing a new danger and a new ally. Will it be enough to save the Earth? Reviews welcome
1. Chapter 1

"Jack, I've got an energy reading coming through the rift." Tosh called. "It's massive."

"Where is it?" He came up behind her and peered at the screens.

"In a field two miles west of the city and it's moving fast."

"Then so are we. Tosh, get Owen and Ianto and have Gwen meet us there." He grabbed his coat and made sure his gun was loaded before following Tosh to the SUV. Winking at Ianto, he slipped behind the wheel and they took off, following Tosh's instructions. Pulling up to a large field they saw a woman running quickly away from something they couldn't see. Piling out of the SUV they all ran toward her, guns drawn.

Before she reached them, she stopped, turned, and raised her hands to the sky. Two large flashes of light erupted from her and the clouds disappeared before she fell to the ground. They kept their guns drawn as they approached her; watching her for a moment before Tosh scanned the body. Now that they were still, they could examine her appearance easier. She had a soft appearance with dark hair and pale skin. Her body was wrapped in a Grecian gown, one that Jack had seen in a museum on different statues.

"She's alive, but unconscious. We need to get her back to the Hub." Tosh spoke first.

"Okay, let's get her back but keep her under guard. We don't know what we're dealing with." Jack commanded as he lifted her and placed her in the back of the SUV. Back at the Hub, Owen helped Jack take her to the cells as Tosh analyzed the data readings from her computer.

"What is she, Jack?" Owen asked, watching the sleeping form.

"I don't know, Owen. She's beautiful, isn't she?" Jack's arms were crossed over his chest. "Look at how she's dressed. Like she's from a museum."

"Maybe she is." Owen glanced at Jack.

"We won't know anything more until she wakes up."

At that moment, her eyes fluttered open and she sat up slowly. Blinking, she took in her surroundings: the concrete walls with one glass wall and the two men staring at her. She stretched and stood to walk to the glass door. Her green eyes met with Owen's brown ones and he thought his heart stopped. They were electric. He was thankful and sad when she turned her gaze to Jack, who seemed unfazed by her eyes.

"Who are you?" His voice was strong.

"I am Aphrodite." Her voice sounded like music and she held herself tall. "I command that you release me."

"We can't do that." Jack's arms remained in front of him.

"Jack, she can't mean Aphrodite from the mythology, can she?" Owen asked.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was running from my husband. He caught me with my lover and is very angry." She smiled, sultrily. "Perhaps you handsome men can keep me safe."

Before he could answer Tosh spoke over the comm. "Jack, I think you should see this."

He turned to leave and Owen followed. Aphrodite stood at the door with a smirk on her lips, chuckling to herself. Glancing at her dress, she brushed at the stains.

"Hephaestus, did you really have to ruin this dress? It is my favorite." With a wave of her hand a new dress appeared and draped over her frame.

Upstairs Tosh told them about the data she had. The energy spike was huge when the woman came through, however there was a larger energy reading in the sky that she couldn't place. It had disappeared when the woman had shot the lights into the sky.

"Who is she, Jack?" Gwen asked, looking expectantly at her leader.

"She says her name is Aphrodite."

"The goddess?" Tosh asked after a moment of silence.

"That's the one."

"Those are just myths, aren't they?" Gwen said. "They aren't true."

"Think about Torchwood. We deal with things people believe aren't true. She said her husband caught her with her lover. Ianto and Gwen, get everything you can about Aphrodite. Tosh, you monitor the CCTV while Owen and I will check her out and make sure there won't be any explosions here."

They all stood and Jack stopped to talk to Ianto before heading downstairs. Owen decided not to wait for him and went down by himself, observing her form as he stood by the door. Perfect features and her gown hung on every curve, practically making him salivate. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and approached her.

"Normally, I'd be upset at the thought of someone staring at me while in captivity; however I find I rather like it." She winked playfully at him and her voice sent shivers down his spine. Her full, blood red lips seemed to beckon him.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Owen cleared his throat.

She giggled as he fidgeted. "Is there something you wanted to ask me?"

"Yes." Jack's voice said, preceding him as he approached. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm in hiding. I was a naughty girl according to my husband. I was just doing what I'm supposed to. I am after all the goddess of love, beauty, AND sex. You can hardly fault me for doing my job."

"You say you're a goddess?" Owen asked, clearly skeptical.

"I am." She stood with a regal air.

"Then why are you hiding here? We can hardly do anything to protect you." Jack said.

"I just need to wait until Hephaestus calms down. He will get over this. He always does."

"Always does?" Owen repeated.

"You've done this before?" Jack asked.

"I'm the goddess of love and sex. Can you expect me not to actually have sex? I've had many lovers." Aphrodite said this like it was normal. "Are you telling me that you've never had sex before?"

As she spoke, she had pressed closer to the door, her breath blowing on Owen's face and he closed his eyes for a moment. When he had opened them again, he was staring into a sea of green.

_Bloody hell. _

Jack cleared his throat as he watched her. "We're going to keep you here under surveillance for a while."

"I can get out of a simple room. I was only being polite by sitting here." As if to prove her point, she suddenly materialized behind them. Her lips were close to Owen's ear as she spoke again. "Good try, gentlemen."

They both spun around, pulling their guns.

"I'm not going to harm you. I would've done so if I were." She remained still.

Owen waited for Jack to lower his weapon before he did the same. Jack told him to take her and examine her and let him know if anything unusual showed up. Nodding and leading her up the stairs, Owen was silent. He was aware of everybody's eyes on Aphrodite as she followed him to his lab.

"Sit on the table please." He slipped on his lab coat and spoke with authority, pleased when she complied. He was grateful that he was able to distract himself by running through different procedures, checking for any dangers. Tosh had come to observe the exam, watching quietly from the stairs.

Aphrodite turned her attention to Tosh, speaking kindly. "I like your gown. It compliments your skin tone."

"Oh, thank you." Tosh smiled. "Your dress is very pretty. It looks old."

"Thank you. I suppose it is old by this time. It was a gift from my lover."

"Who is your lover?" Tosh seemed curious and almost embarrassed.

"Ares. He's a much better lover than my husband." The nonchalant way she spoke of her lovers made Tosh a little uncomfortable.

"There we are. All done." Owen said, much to Tosh's relief. Aphrodite caught the look Tosh sent Owen's way. "I need to talk to Jack, Tosh. Are you alright here with her?"

"Of course." Another polite smile from Tosh as Owen passed her on the stairs. She watched him walk away and was brought back to reality by Aphrodite's voice.

"You love him."

Tosh blushed. "He's a friend."

"And yet, you love him. I can feel you lust after him. Is he your lover?"

"No! No, nothing like that. We're friends."

"You do not have sex with friends?" Aphrodite cocked her head to the side, obviously confused.

"Other people do, but I can't. I'm not really that kind of person." Tosh looked at the ground.

Aphrodite pondered this for a moment, watching Tosh. The silence continued until Owen called Tosh to come to the conference room.

"What should we do with her?" Tosh gestured to Aphrodite.

"We should keep her where we can watch her. She got out of the cells."

"If it would make you happy, Owen," Aphrodite approached him and placed a hand on his forearm. "I will wait in the cells."

He glanced at her hand and gave her a half smile. "Follow me then."

When she had been placed in her cell, she spoke, "How long will you keep me here?"

"Until we know you're not dangerous." 

"I am dangerous. Never forget that for a moment." She spoke softly.

Back in the conference room, Ianto filled everybody in on the information he found on Aphrodite.

"She was supposedly born of the sea foam by Uranus. She's the goddess of love, beauty, and sex, said to have many lovers. The most famous of which is Ares; she has three children with him. Her husband is Hephaestus and she has one son with him; Eros. The mythology varies on whether she was kind or cruel, but it seems there was an even balance between the two. It also reads that she is very vain."

"So why is she here?" Jack asked. "She said she was hiding from her husband so why come here?"

"Hephaestus was said to have been very angry about her lovers. He once chained Ares and Aphrodite to the bed and called for justice. When all the gods laughed at him, he grew angrier. To get him to release Aphrodite and Ares, Poseidon promised to punish them." Ianto paused for a moment. "In Roman, mythology, she's called Venus."

"I never did like being called Venus." Aphrodite's voice came from the back of the room. "It's hardly appropriate to name me something else without my permission."

Weapons were brandished again as Aphrodite sat on the edge of the table. "It was getting stuffy down there. You can't expect me to wait there."

Her lips pouted and she batted her eyes. Jack watched her carefully and sent everybody out of the room, locking the door behind them.

"Why are you here?" His voice was firm.

"I'm hiding."

"If you've managed to appease your husband before, you should be able to do it now. Why did you come here?"

"It seems like fun here. Hephaestus is so boring. That's why Daddy married me to him."

Jack remained still, waiting for an answer. "You may be a goddess, but I've been around a while. I know when a person is lying to me."

She got off the table and approached Jack, standing chest to chest with him. Her hands slid up his arms and felt his muscles. "My, my. You're quite strong, quite handsome too."

"We had an energy reading from the sky after you arrived. Two different energy readings; one from you, the other from the sky and it was much stronger than yours. What was that?"

She sighed and spoke, "It was Cronos. He's coming to reclaim what is his."

"What's he coming for?"

"This world."


	2. Chapter 2

Jack ran his hands through his hair as he sat at his desk. Aphrodite sat across from him, watching him with carefully.

"How do we stop him?"

Her laugh was musical. "You cannot stop him. It took many gods and goddesses to defeat him the first time. Humans cannot stop him."

"I'm different." His gaze was hard.

"I saw it in your eyes. You're much older than you look; wiser and more troubled." She crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair. "What do you want from me?"

"A way to stop Cronos. There are billions of people on this planet."

"I know. My brothers and sisters, my aunts and uncles, they all rely on these people for their very existence. But we are much weaker than before; true we have more gods and goddesses but none realize the strength of Cronos. They underestimate him, just as you do."

"Underestimate him how?"

"He is a Titan. He created us and he made sure that we were weaker than him. We have lost more often than we have won." She paused for a moment and her eyes looked very sad; as if remembering her lost family. Snapping back to reality, she spoke quietly. "I cannot help you."

"Can't or won't?"

"I cannot. By myself, I am useless. Cronos would crush me in a moment. Your team would be gone before you could blink."

"We'll find a way."

They stared at each other for a long moment. Jack watched her closely, trying to read her. She gave nothing away as she stared back with those electric eyes.

"What will you do with me now, Captain Harkness?" The innuendo dripped from her lips.

"We can't keep you in the cells because, as you so kindly demonstrated, they won't hold you."

"Perhaps you could hold me." She winked.

"I'll have Ianto get some clothes for you. Something from this time so you don't draw too much attention to yourself. Then I'm going to keep an eye on you."

She practically purred as she said, "I look forward to it."

Jack called Ianto into his office and relayed his instructions to him.

"Can't I accompany him?" She stood. "I'm quite bored. I'll stay out of trouble."

Jack thought about it for a moment then finally relented. He gave careful instructions to Ianto and Aphrodite followed him to the lift. She didn't seem amazed that nobody could see them for a moment; in fact she seemed rather irritated by it. She linked her arm through Ianto's as they strolled down the street. He took her to several shops and bought her some jeans and tops. She had parted with the gown easily but wouldn't part with a jeweled belt. No matter where they went, she turned heads both male and female. As they passed a lingerie store she questioned him about the apparel; much to his discomfort.

"This time is so prudish. Sex is nothing to be embarrassed about." Aphrodite, now changed out of her gown, stood by a fountain. She stepped closer to the water and wiggled her fingers in the water as she sat down. As she sat there, bathing in the sunlight, Ianto was aware of every eye on her.

"We should get back." He cleared his throat.

He carried her things back to the Hub and was relieved when he was around his teammates again. Gwen and Tosh were huddled by the computer screens talking about some readings. Aphrodite was bored by the electrical talk and went to Owen's lab, watching him work as she leaned on the railing. He took a few moments to realize she was there but was speechless when he saw her. Low riding denim and a midriff baring shirt showed perfect ivory skin, the fabric clinging to all the right places and the light catching the jewels on her belt. His eyes followed her as she walked down the stairs and approached him, standing too close.

"What are you working on, Mr. Harper?" Her hair brushed his shoulder.

"Your test results."

"I see. Am I danger to anybody?" She gave him a false look of concern, pouting her lips.

_Damn._ Owen thought as he stared at her lips, wanting to crush them to his own.

"No. You're quite safe." He smiled.

She smiled back and he saw her eyes dart to his lips for a moment before coming back to meet his gaze. Before he knew it, she was pressed against him, her mouth moving expertly as her tongue darted into explore his mouth. He couldn't stop the moan that escaped his lips as he lifted her to the exam table. A throat clearing brought him back to reality. His breathing was ragged as he pulled himself away while Aphrodite giggled.

"Not the time or place, Owen." Jack said sternly.

"Right, sorry Jack." Owen tried to catch his breath.

Jack's disapproving glare had no effect on Aphrodite. "I'm not sorry. He's quite good….well, at kissing anyway. I wonder if he's any good at the rest."

Winking at Owen, she jumped off the table.

"You're to stay with me, Aphrodite. We're staying here until further notice."

"That's boring. I don't want to stay here all night." She pouted. "Can't we go out?"

"No. We could risk the safety of every other person in Cardiff."

"I'll be on my best behavior." Thinking quickly, she grabbed Owen's hand. "I'll stay with Owen. I won't leave him, I swear."

"No."

"I could just leave on my own. Perhaps find a shag on my own. You don't know anybody up for a night of rousing sex, do you, Owen?"

Owen silently prayed that Jack would let her leave.

"You're staying with me, Aphrodite. Owen's brain is fogged by sex."

"Yours isn't?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"No."

"I love a challenge." She crossed the room quickly, slapping Owen's ass as she passed him before following Jack back to his office. Aphrodite snapped and flowers appeared in his office. She toyed with the petals as Jack made phone calls. She roamed the Hub as the hours passed, making friends with Tosh and Gwen, offering beauty tips.

"Toshiko, you should emphasize your eyes, they're quite beautiful." Kohl appeared in Aphrodite's hand as she proceeded to line Tosh's eyes with it masterfully. She added a bit of red to her lips and then smiled, obviously pleased with her work. Handing Tosh a mirror, she watched her reaction. She turned her attention to Gwen, twisting her hair carefully and pinned it at the base of her head, leaving a few tendrils down. With both women happy with their makeovers, they chatted more and Ianto came to relay a message to Tosh.

"Can I ask you a question?" Gwen asked after Ianto and Tosh had both walked away.

"Of course."

"You say you've had many lovers, right?"

"Yes." Aphrodite's response was unashamed.

"How do you keep from getting bored with them?"

Aphrodite went into a long explanation of different sexual positions, most of which Gwen had never heard of. They talked for a while before the computers started to beep frantically. Tosh ran back to the computer.

"We're getting the same energy reading as before, Jack." She looked at him.

"It's Cronos." Aphrodite stated calmly. She started for the lift.

"What the hell are you doing?" Owen asked.

"If I use my powers, he will know. Dressed like this and using the lift, I'll be hidden for a few moments longer." She stepped on the lift and waited as it rose slowly. The Torchwood team ran for the stairs, drawing their weapons. By the time they got to the surface, Aphrodite was running quickly, using her powers to save humans as Cronos tried to use the elements against them. She deflected each attack as the Torchwood team fired off several rounds into the sky. They didn't have a specific target because they couldn't see him. A dark cloud materialized several yards ahead of them quickly stalking towards a woman cradling a small child as she tried to run.

"No." Aphrodite shouted as she ran and disappeared mid run, only to reappear by the woman and child, enveloping them in a white light. She shot more light into Cronos but it wasn't doing anything to bring him down. She transported the humans to a safe place then focused her attack on Cronos. Trying to slow his approach she bolted towards Cronos, throwing more light at him.

"Get back!" Jack shouted at his team and he ran towards Aphrodite. She heard his footsteps and shouted at him to go back. Cronos took the opportunity to fire light of his own into her abdomen but it was obvious that had depleted his energy and he disappeared. Aphrodite crumpled to the ground, trying to catch her breath. She tried to avoid looking at her midsection because a Titan was the only thing that could hurt a god. Tenderly touching her stomach, she brought her fingers up to her gaze, spying red on them.

"That's not good." She groaned and coughed. The sound of running footsteps echoed in her mind as she started to fall asleep.

"Owen!" Jack called, dropping to his knees by Aphrodite's side. Gwen, Tosh, and Ianto went about cleaning up the scene as Owen checked Aphrodite's vital signs.

"I need to get her back to the Hub, Jack. I can't do anything here."

Jack lifted her carefully and carried her to the Hub, grateful that Cronos had attacked so close to their headquarters. Going down the lift and placing her on the exam table, he realized exactly what his team was up against. For once he lost faith that he would be able to stop the destruction of the world. He turned his attention to Owen, who had Aphrodite's shirt up around her breasts as he examined her wound. Large and gaping, it gave him little hope of her surviving. He tried to stop the bleeding or, at the very least, slow it but he saw no way of immediately fixing the hole in her stomach. As he applied pressure to the wound she woke up, coughing.

"That hurts." She said, trying to sit up.

"You need to lie back." Owen pushed her shoulders back down. When she complied he said, "I thought you were a goddess."

"I am. Titans are the only beings that can hurt us or kill us." She stared at the ceiling. "You won't be able to fix this. I need to see it."

"Fine. Jack will you come help me sit her up?" Owen positioned himself and showed Jack where to help her up. Her head spun for a moment then she looked down. She placed a hand over the wound and a small blue light shone and she sucked in her breath painfully. After a few minutes the light vanished and instead of a hole was a light pink spot that was quickly going away. Aphrodite lay back again as Jack and Owen slowly lowered her.

"Thank you." She said, quietly. "I just need to rest for a while."

"Alright," Jack said. "Owen will stay with you."

Jack walked to his office as Tosh, Gwen, and Ianto walked in. The girls went to the lab to check on Aphrodite as Ianto informed Jack of the clean-up progress.

"What are we up against, Jack?" Ianto asked.

"Nothing we can't handle." Jack offered a reassuring smile.

Back in the lab, Gwen and Tosh offered to help Aphrodite clean up and get some clean clothes on. Accepting their help, she took the clothes that Tosh handed her and wrapped her arm around Gwen's shoulders as they led her to a bathroom. She changed as quickly as she could, happy that her strength was coming back. Once she had fastened her belt around her hips, she examined her face in the mirror. She fixed her hair and makeup and when she emerged from the bathroom, she looked like her old self.

"Gwen, your hair is mussed. Tosh, your makeup is ruined." Aphrodite quickly fixed both of their appearances before they helped her back to Owen's lab. She sat on the table at Owen's request as he inspected her stomach. The girls talked to her about different things as Owen worked, and Aphrodite answered each question, determined not to let her fatigue show. As Owen marked some charts he saw her sway slightly.

"Alright, girls. Let her rest." He chased them out of his lab and finished his paperwork as Aphrodite lay down.

"Thank you, Owen. Once I allow myself to heal, I'll be perfect."

"No problem." He smiled at her as Jack called them to the conference room.

"We all saw what happened down there." Jack said. "We now know what we're up against."

"You have no idea what you're up against." Aphrodite's voice came from the doorway.

"You're supposed to be resting." Owen said.

"Cronos is weakened right now. Had he been at full strength, none of us would still be here."

"How could he be weak?" Tosh questioned.

"When my family defeated him, we locked him in a cage. He had no power at all."

"Who took his power away from him?" Gwen asked.

"Zeus did." Her eyes flashed. "You can't beat him."

"Then how is he stopped?" Jack asked.

"I have to get my family, if they even believe me. I have to get to Olympus."

"Can't you just…..materialize there?" Ianto looked confused.

"I may not have been completely honest with you about why I'm here."

"What does that mean?" Jack was angry now.

"I was banished from Olympus because of Hephaestus. Zeus is punishing me for my lovers." She showed no remorse.

"Why the hell didn't you tell us that before?" Jack's voice rose as he spoke. "For all we know, you're a danger and the reason Cronos is here."

"Don't you dare raise your voice to me, Jack Harkness," Aphrodite's voice rose and her eyes flashed a menacing green. "Cronos will devour your world as we bicker here. Choose your enemy but choose wisely. I will not help my captors if that's who you chose to be."

The group was quiet for a few minutes before Owen spoke. "In the myths, it said that the gods beat Cronos with several items. If we found these items, could we stop him?"

"As long as the items chose to work with you and we'd have to find them quickly. Zeus scattered them around the world after they beat Cronos. He created a map for their locations but we have to get it first."  
"Where's the map?" Ianto asked.

"Olympus."

A collective sigh was heard in the room. How in the hell were they supposed to get to Olympus? It was Gwen who voiced the question.

"I have to take one of you with me. Once every thousand years or so, we each bring mortals to Olympus. They are given tests and the one who lives through them all gets to become immortal."

"If you're not allowed in Olympus, how do we get in?"

"I can manipulate the weaker gods. We just have to avoid Zeus and get the map. It is possible that the one who comes with me will die." She cleared her throat. "Especially if we get stopped by Hephaestus."

"I'll go with her." Owen offered after a long moment of silence.

"No." Jack's tone was not one to be argued with.

"Jack, I can't die."

"Neither can I." His gaze was firm.

"I rather like two men fighting over me." Aphrodite purred.

"Tosh, Ianto, Gwen. Would you mind leaving?" Jack asked.

They barely waited until the door clicked closed before the two men started talking. The main argument was that neither one could die so they wouldn't actually lose anybody. Jack pointed out that if Owen got hurt that he would stay hurt, whereas Jack would heal. Aphrodite sat in a chair for a while before she cleared her throat.

"I could take you both." They looked confused. "Enter one of you in the contest and have the other be my servant."

Jack pondered it for a moment. "That could work. I'm going to talk to the team and get a plan in place."

Aphrodite and Owen followed him out of the room. Owen walked down his lab and Aphrodite watched each human as they scurried about. So eager to fight a battle that wasn't theirs and would surely kill each one of them. Hopefully, she could save them. She liked these people. Humming to herself, she sat on the sofa and continued to watch them. Hours passed before they had a plan and she could tell they were very tired, with the exception of Jack and Owen. When the others had left, Jack approached Aphrodite.

"We have a plan but for now, we need to rest." He extended a hand to help her up and she placed her hand in his. She followed him to his office and she questioned him on Owen and his own immortality. She had to admit the stories were wonderful. Her mind wandered as to what kind of lover Jack would be compared to Hephaestus. Surely anyone with such Herculean good looks would be a good lover. She brought her mind back to the present as Owen walked in, offering him a smile.

"Jack, I've got everything taken care and prepped for tomorrow."

"You can go home, Owen." Jack smiled. "You can go too, Aphrodite."

She smiled broadly. "Really? You'll let me go out?"

"Yes, but you have to stay with Owen. Owen, you're responsible for any damage she causes."

"Right." He smiled. "Let me grab my jacket and we'll be off."

Aphrodite snapped at the shopping bags from earlier and a jacket jumped out. She picked it up and put it on. Spinning in front of Jack, she asked, "How do I look?"

"Perfect."

She winked at him as she walked downstairs to Owen. He took her arm in his and led her outside, the night filled with music and people chatting. She paused as they walked down the street, staring at the sky.

"Do you hear that?" Her voice was a whisper.

"Hear what?"

"The songs of the Earth. The love, the lust, the song of the stars, the wind rustling through the grass, the sound of hearts in love. It is the most beautiful sound in the universe."

"Very poetic." Owen said.

They resumed walking in silence, passing several bars and clubs on the way. Aphrodite looked eagerly to each one but Owen always shook his head. He was taking her to his usual club, one where he could get away with a bit of chaos if needed. When they walked in the pounding club, every eye turned to them. Aphrodite took her jacket off, grabbed Owen's hand, and pulled him to the dance floor, dancing carelessly. Even though her dancing was not current, she still turned heads. Owen did his best to dance with her but he normally came here for an easy lay.

He had no need for alcohol but he bought a few drinks for Aphrodite before she seemed to get bored and wanted to leave. They had only been at the club for a couple hours. Owen checked the time on his mobile and the display read 2 am. Aphrodite got her jacket and grabbed Owen's hand, leading him into the street. He took her back to his flat and unlocked the door, letting her in. She looked around before she found the bedroom and sat on the edge, leaning back on her elbows.

Owen watched her as he leaned against the doorframe. There had been no need for him to sleep but now the bed looked inviting. He cursed his un-dead living for the millionth time as he sat next to her. She decided to take her jacket off, tossing it to the ground, before she straddled him and kissed his neck. His hands were at her hips and her lips at his ear when he spoke.

"Aphrodite, I can't."

"Can't what?"

"I can't have sex. I have no blood. No blood means…." His voice trailed off.

"I can fix that." She pressed a kiss to his lips and he felt a rushing in his veins, allowing himself to get hard. He gasped as he broke the kiss, the sensation knocking him breathless.

"How did you do that?" His voice was rough.

"Do you not know who I am?" She whispered with a smile on her lips as she gently rubbed his nose with hers.

"I'm getting a better idea all the time." He kissed her roughly as he put his hands on the back of her head, unwilling to break the kiss for a moment. Luckily, she used her powers to make their clothes disappear and he shivered, as did she, at the feeling of their skin touching. His mouth moved down her throat and she moaned, spurring him on. His hands roamed freely, relishing the feel of warm flesh. When she gently dragged her nails down his back, Owen picked her up and lay her down on the bed so he could be on top of her. Reclaiming her lips, he rubbed against her, causing her to moan against his lips. As he continued to tease her, she growled lustfully.

"Please." She moaned breathlessly and was satisfied as Owen thrust himself into her. He had almost forgotten what it felt like and she felt perfect. Her lips were on his throat, kissing, biting then licking away the sting. Her nails scratched him and the twinge of pain kept him from coming too soon. He slowly picked up his pace, moaning when she matched him thrust for thrust. She kissed him aggressively and he thrust deeper into her. Her moans got louder as she reached her orgasm and she saw lights dancing on her eyelids as her orgasm rocked her. A few more thrusts and Owen finished as well. He kissed her nose before he rolled off her, panting.

"Bloody hell. I almost forgot what that was like."

She laughed and propped herself on her elbow, unashamed at her nudity. "You're quite good at it."

"Glad you approve." He gave her a half smile as he cast a glance at her. "What?"

"Nothing." She suddenly had a glass of water in her hand, which she sipped from. Owen watched a drop of water spill from her mouth and trail down her body. He bit his tongue to keep from pouncing on her again. She offered water to him, which he declined.

"Do you want to do it again?" She asked.

His response was to pull her on top of him and press his lips to hers.

**Reviews are welcome. xo**


	3. Chapter 3

The sun shone through the glass onto Aphrodite's skin, warming it. She smiled and stretched before rolling over. Owen was awake and dressing as she sat up, her hair flowing over one shoulder.

"Good morning." She said cheerfully. She waved her hand over her body and her clothes covered her once again.

"Now, you've ruined the view for me." Owen teased as he pulled his shirt over his head.

She scooted toward the edge of the bed and gestured for Owen to come closer, pulling his shirt to bring him closer. She pressed her lips to his and pulled him down on top of her. Owen reveled in the feeling of her body against his. He kissed her deeply and ran his hands down her sides before he realized they needed to get to the Hub. Pressing his forehead to hers he spoke.

"We have to go. Jack's expecting us and we're late already." He stood and tried to ignore her pouting face, staring at her for several minutes before she stood and followed him out the door. Arriving at the Hub, Jack called them and the others into the conference room.

"Owen and I are going with Aphrodite to Olympus. Once there, I am going to be entered into a contest to become immortal. Owen and Aphrodite will find the map. When they do, they're going to come find me and hopefully, no one will be any the wiser." 

"You're both going?" Gwen asked.

"Yes. It will be easier for me to provide the distraction and allow Aphrodite and Owen the time to find the map." Looking at Tosh he said, "You will monitor us by these chips."

He held up a small piece of electronics, explaining that it would be embedded in his and Owen's arm.

"Why can't we use the comms?"

"Because my family will know." Aphrodite said. "They won't be able to detect the chips."

"Gwen, I need you and Ianto to make sure that Cronos doesn't come back until we return."

"How are we supposed to do that?"

"I have a block in place. It's kind of like a patch on the whole he came through. I don't know how long it will hold so if anything happens, you need to get us back here." Aphrodite said. "I have to convince my family to help us, if possible."

The meeting was over and the team went to their stations. Aphrodite waved her hands on her clothing and the gown that her lover had given her appeared. She fixed her hair before she sat down and tried to meditate, clearing her mind and focusing on the task at hand.

_Get in. Get the map and keep Jack and Owen away from Hephaestus. Piece of cake." _

She took several deep breaths before opening her eyes. She stood and walked to the window of the conference room, watching each member of the team as they scurried about, trying to get each task done before it was too late. She felt a breeze behind her and spoke but didn't turn around.

"Hello, Ares."

He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck before speaking. "Hello beautiful. Why are you in this hell hole?"

"I am a prisoner." She kept their plan to herself.

"You're being held prisoner by humans?" Ares laughed out loud.

"One is more than human. I think he's a good contestant for this year." Aphrodite cleared her throat and moved away from Ares. "I may bring him back to Olympus with me."

"I look forward to seeing you again, my love. Our usual spot?" He kissed her hand before he disappeared.

She knew that he would forget about their meeting until it suited him. She went downstairs to see if she could help. Tosh had said that she had everything under control so Aphrodite went to find Jack and Owen. Gwen and Ianto were nowhere to be found. Jack was on a mobile device speaking to someone else so she headed to the lab, watching Owen for a moment before he spoke.

"I saw your visitor." He didn't look up from his paperwork.

"Yes, that was Ares." Aphrodite didn't move.

"How many of you can just show up in here? This is supposed to be a secure location."

"He was checking on me. I told him I was your prisoner." He glanced up after she spoke and she winked at him.

"Is that so?" He sounded indifferent and she approached him slowly, snaking her hands down his hips and to the front of his thighs.

"Yes." She spoke in whispers and he resisted the shiver that wanted to pulse down his spine. "What would you have me do first, master?"

Her lips pressed against his neck as her hands opened his lab coat. He turned with every intention of stopping her but when he saw the lust in her eyes he felt his resolve crumble. Her fingers slipped under his shirt as he brought his mouth down on hers, crushing her lips. He wound his fingers in her dark hair, pulling it just enough to drive her wild. Her response was a growl that vibrated against his lips. Owen heard the footsteps approaching before Aphrodite did and pulled away, much to the anger of his male instincts.

"You ready?" Jack spoke, clearly ready to go. Aphrodite and Owen followed him to the lift, saying their goodbyes. Once at the surface, Aphrodite took Owen and Jack's hands in hers and closed her eyes, advising them to do the same. Luckily they took her advice because when they opened them again, they stood in front of a large palace and were extremely disoriented.

"Just follow me." She said, going up the steps and to the door, which was guarded by a human.

"You're not supposed to be here." He said sternly.

"Oh, Paris." She batted her eyelashes playfully. "I'm here to beg the forgiveness of my husband." 

"Who are they?"

"This is Captain Jack Harkness," She wrapped her arm around his bicep, still flirting with Paris. "He's my candidate for this year's contest."

"Who's the tiny one?" He nudged his chin in Owen's direction.

"This is Owen Harper. He's my new servant. A souvenir of Earth." She linked her arm with Owen's as well before pouting. "Hephaestus will not be happy if you keep me from apologizing to him."

"Very well. You may pass but they must register first."

"They will register when I am certain no harm will come to them." Her tone left nothing to be discussed. Paris allowed them to pass and the men marveled at the grandeur of the main hall. A large mother of pearl staircase rose in front of them, the floors were made of gold, and the windows made of diamonds. They passed a lot of people both mortal and immortal, not that they knew the difference. She brought them to a room where a large canopy bed sat with large windows and breezy curtains. The room was light and airy.

"This is my personal room. Hephaestus won't come in here unless he is asked. You will be safe until the contest." A knock pounded and as Aphrodite opened the door she was stunned by the sight of her husband. "What a wonderful surprise, my love."

"We shall see." Hephaestus pushed the door wider and walked in, observing the two men. "What the hell, Aphrodite? You have two of them at once again?"

Jack and Owen exchanged a glance and Owen mouthed, "Again?"

"One is my contestant and the other is my servant, since you had the last one killed."

"I caught you in bed with him."

"Really, Heph, I think your jealousy is getting the better of you. That's no reason to kill a man."

"I've killed for less."

"You are quite childish. What do you want?" Her playful tone was gone.

"Paris told me that you came to beg forgiveness." He crossed his arms and waited.

"Yes, my love." She took his hand in hers. "I am very sorry that my behavior has hurt you. Please, husband, I beg your forgiveness."

It was obvious he didn't want to give in to his wife's apology but he took her in his arms and kissed her soundly. Jack and Owen didn't know what to do when Hephaestus nudged Aphrodite to the bed.

"Not now, my only love." Aphrodite cooed. "We have to present our contestants."

Hephaestus grumbled but relented, heading out the door and closing it behind him. Aphrodite fixed her hair and makeup before giving Owen and Jack clothes to change into so they could blend in. Since they weren't immortals, they didn't need to wear the robes the other gods did. Owen followed Jack and Aphrodite down the hall to the throne room. Aphrodite sat down on her throne and Owen stood behind her as Jack kneeled next to her. A man with large muscles and a stern face stood as the other gods sat down and quieted.

"Family, we have today a well lived tradition of welcoming one new member into our family and give them the greatest gift they could ever receive. We allow the strongest, wisest, cleverest, and most attractive contestant to be graced with immortality." He scanned the room at the dozen contestants. "Once entered into the ring, you will receive no help from your immortal benefactor. You will be given one gift from your benefactor. Otherwise, you are left to your own devices. If you chose to not participate you will be allowed to leave but it must be now. Once in the ring, there is no leaving unless you are the winner."

No one left.

"So be it. Let the games begin."

The crowd applauded and Aphrodite gave Jack a bag. "Whatever you need, the bag will provide."

"Isn't that cheating?" Jack smiled.

"Yes. Yes it is." She winked at him. "When we find the map, I'll transport you out. Try not to get killed."

"Yes ma'am." He saluted her and Owen and Aphrodite watched his disappear.

"We don't have long. The others will watch the games but servants will be everywhere." 

"Where should we start?" Owen followed as she bolted out the door and down the winding corridor. He was shocked by the beauty that surrounded him.

"I would say that Zeus would have had Hades look after the map. No one goes to the Underworld."

"Perfect, the Underworld." Owen mumbled. "Just when I get my life back."

"You'll be fine. Hades is a lovely person." Aphrodite opened a door and pulled Owen in. He heard the sound of water rippling and he got colder. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness he saw Aphrodite approached a cloaked man and handed him a coin before she stepped in the boat. Owen followed her quickly and tried not to stare at the silent man as they sailed across the water. It seemed like an eternity before they landed and walked across gravel to a small but elaborate mansion. She didn't bother to knock before walking in and going into another room. She snapped and a fire roared in the fireplace.

"Sit down, Owen. Relax." Aphrodite said, a tea tray appearing before her.

"I thought we had to get the map," He said as he watched Aphrodite pour tea.

"If my uncle knows where it is, he will help me. I'm his favorite." She smiled and sipped her tea and Owen followed suit.

"Aphrodite, my dear. To what do I owe the pleasure?" The voice was kind and sounded happy. Owen turned and saw Hades, a handsome man with dark features. His eyes burned like flame as he approached them.

"Uncle, I do not have time to fully explain but I need your help. Cronos is attacking Earth." She paused as Hades poured tea for himself and sipped lightly before sitting down across from Aphrodite. "I need the map to find the items Zeus scattered."

"My dear, I cannot allow you to have it. Those items can corrupt you if not used properly. Why come to me? Why not tell Zeus? He can help you."

"He is so arrogant that he would not believe it. None of them would because they're afraid to cross Zeus." Her eyes pleaded. "Please Hades; if you've ever believed in life please help me."

"Aphrodite, life is not my business. I care for the souls of the dead. You cannot stop Cronos without help or you will perish. Do not ask me to ferry your soul across the River." He set his cup down with a clattering of china. "You are correct when you say Zeus will not help you. He finds himself infallible and does not recognize this threat. I will plead your case to him but I beg you, give up looking for the map."

"Never." She sat up straight and tall. "I will not give up no matter the perils to my own being. I love each soul in the universe and I will not sit idly by while others work for an existence that they refuse to see the beauty in. They don't want to lose power, but I cannot bear to lose the beauty of the world."

Hades placed his hand over Aphrodite's and patted it gently. "You're quite right, sweetheart. You and I see the fragility to the world; see the beauty in the wind. But the others are calloused. I will take you to the map but you will have to prove your worthiness to it before it will help you. If you are proven worthy, I will ask for the help of the others. Follow me."

He stood and they followed him silently as he led them down the hallway to a large room with a pedestal. A large scroll sat on top of it, humming with electricity. Aphrodite approached it and gingerly placed a hand on it, crying out as pain overcame her while the scroll searched her mind and heart.

"What's happening to her?" Owen shouted at Hades.

"It is searching her soul for impurities. You will also have to be tested." Hades gaze looked right through Owen. "However, your soul is here. I can release it but it will come at a price. Aphrodite has restored the basic functions of your body: blood, organs, and appetites. To restore your soul it will cost you to never die. You will live on in existence as your friends and family die. I do not offer this lightly so carefully weigh your options."

Owen took a deep breath before answering. "Listen mate: I died and continued to live. I can't just continue to exist while my life dies. I got nothing and nobody to spend that time with."

"The map will accept Aphrodite but will not acknowledge you are alive. You have chosen. I cannot change your fate now."

Aphrodite approached them with the map in her hand, pleased that it had chosen to help her.

"Thank you, Uncle." She kissed him on the cheek and grabbed Owen's hand. "Let's go, we have to save Jack."

They ran out of the room to the ferry and paid the man to carry them across and then found their way back to the game ring. Aphrodite carefully hid the map in her bag. They watched as Jack engaged in hand to hand combat against a skilled fighter; matching him blow for blow. The fight went on much longer than expected before Jack fell to the ground and his opponent raised his hands in celebration. Jack gasped as he pulled himself back from death and knocked the man to the ground before snapping his neck. He disappeared into the woods where Aphrodite transported herself and Owen to before taking them all back to Cardiff.

Jack and Owen gasped for breath as they landed on the concrete before laughing wildly. When they got to Torchwood and were cleaning up, Aphrodite went up to the conference room to study the map. The items were thunderbolts, a helmet of invisibility, and a trident. She read it eagerly, ready to stop Cronos before he destroyed this world. The team gathered in the room and Aphrodite spoke.

"We're looking for thunderbolts, a helmet of invisibility, and a trident. Zeus has scattered them across the world but according to this, it's going to be easy to find the items but much harder to actually retrieve them. Zeus set up guardians for each one to protect them from falling into the wrong hands. The thunderbolts are hidden in a volcano off the coast of Hawaii. The helmet is in a place that is on the end of the world covered with snow, and the trident is in Greece. It doesn't say what the guardians are so we have no way to prepare for them."

"Does it say which volcano?" Gwen asked.

"No, it only tells us that it is on a volcano. I will try to decipher more of the reading but it is written in a dialect even older than I am."

"The end of the world covered with snow?" Tosh said. "Does it mean Antarctica?"

"Yes." Jack confirmed. "Back then, they didn't have names for all the continents yet."

"Another catch is that the items have to work with you. You can't just use it if it doesn't bond to your mind. These items may not work for any of us." Aphrodite cleared her throat. "Hades has agreed to plead our case to the others but there's no guarantee. Zeus is so arrogant that he wouldn't believe Cronos escaped a prison that Zeus created."

"I have something that will translate your map." Tosh said, running to her station and coming back with an odd shape device that quickly translated the rest of the locations. "The thunderbolts are in a volcano one hundred miles off the coast of Hawaii and approximately 1,000 meters below the surface."

"How are we supposed to get that?" Gwen said.

"I'll go after that one." Aphrodite said. "I have a higher success rate because I can't die."

"I'll go with you." Owen offered.

"Gwen and I will go after the helmet." Jack said. "Tosh, I need you to gather all the literature on these items as quickly as you can. Ianto will help you. Aphrodite, when you retrieve the thunderbolts, you and Owen will go to Greece."

"Alright. I will let you know when my uncle contacts me. Owen and I can leave as soon as everything is ready." Aphrodite said, noticing how Owen had not said much.

When they went home Aphrodite approached the topic of Owen's behavior.

"Are you alright? You've been acting out of sorts since we left Hades' palace."

"I'm fine." 

"I can tell that you're bothered."

"Fine." Owen snapped. "Your uncle offered my soul back to me but he said I wouldn't be able to die." 

"Most mortals would love that." She spoke softly.

"I've lived that way. It's no way to exist. I can't shag, eat, drink, or even fart. Immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be." He offered her a half smile. "No offense."

"It isn't so bad if you have somebody to spend it with." Aphrodite kissed his cheek. "Trust me, it's much better if you have things like love or beauty or sex. Especially sex."

Owen chuckled breathlessly. "Maybe for you."

"Tell me about Diane."

His head whipped around. "How do you know about her?"

"I can see the love you had for her in every pore of your body."

Aphrodite listened to every word that he spoke of her, silently watching as tears poured down his cheeks. As she watched him, she felt her heart beating harder as she wanted to wrap her arms around him. Taking in his every feature she realized what had happened. She loved this fragile, rough edged, gooey in the center human. When his story came to a close she kissed his lips tenderly, her hand cupping his cheek.

The kiss was salty but was returned just as tenderly. They just kissed for a moment before his hands moved to her waist, pulling her close. He picked her up and carried her to his bed, laying her down gingerly. He pulled his shirt over his head and Aphrodite noticed that the way the light hit his features that he looked more handsome and perfect than Adonis. They never broke contact as Owen crawled on his knees to her and gently draped his body over hers, grinding his pelvis into her gently. Aphrodite made her dress disappear and for the first time in a long time, she felt loved.

After they had finished and Aphrodite lay with her head on Owen's chest, she contemplated the consequences of loving a mortal. Hephaestus would most definitely kill him. She snuck a peek at his face and he was sleeping peacefully. Brushing the hair from her eyes, she kissed him on the cheek and walked to the window as she wrapped a sheet around her. She cast another glance at Owen before sneaking up to the roof to stare at the stars, listening to the music they created only she could hear. She was so lost in the sky that she didn't notice the fog slowly creeping up behind her.

"Hello, my child." Her heart stopped a moment before her vision went black.

Owen's phone rang and he smacked at it, hoping to turn it off before it woke Aphrodite. The caller ID said Jack was calling.

"What is it, Jack?"

"The patch that Aphrodite put up broke and something came through. I need you both to come to the Hub right now."

Owen rubbed sleep from his eyes before looking around his apartment. "Jack, we'll be there soon."

He padded into the kitchen, his pajama bottoms hanging on his hips. Realizing the apartment was empty he called Jack back.

"She's gone."


	4. Chapter 4

"If she's not with you, then where the hell is she?" Jack asked over the phone.

"I don't know, Jack. She was here a bit ago and now she's gone." Owen ran a hand through his hair.

"Get to the Hub now. We have to hope that we can find the things we need and that this isn't a wild goose chase." The silence was deafening as Jack hung up.

Owen dressed quickly and tried not to think about Aphrodite. Back at the Hub, Jack had filled everyone in on what happened. There was silence until Gwen spoke the question that everyone was thinking.

"Is she working with Cronos?"

"We don't know so we need to approach this mission with caution. We know where the items are and we have the map. If we move quickly enough, perhaps we can get them before Cronos finds us." Jack said. "If Aphrodite is working with Cronos, we need a way to disable her."

"How? She's a goddess." Gwen asked.

"We have to figure something out or else stay clear of her." Jack made eye contact with every member of his team. "Under no circumstances are you to engage her. Owen, you and Tosh are going after the thunderbolts. Ianto will go after the trident."

He dismissed the team and they said their goodbyes and went out the door. At that moment, Aphrodite opened her eyes and took in the scene around her. She was in a room with no windows and was sitting in a chair, held in place by chains made of fog. As she shook the hair out of her eyes, she realized there was a man standing in the corner, leaning against the wall. She knew those eyes as they glared at her.

"Hello, Cronos." She spit his name.

"Good morning, lovely. I trust you slept well." He smirked.

"What do you want from me?"

"I want the map that you took from the Underworld."

"I don't have it. I can't just give it to you. It has to test you before you can read it."

"That's why you're going to read it for me. I know you have already. Your little friends are on their ways to collect the items."

"If you know where they're going then why can't you just follow them?"

"That bastard Zeus put a curse on me so I couldn't handle them. If I destroy them, then I can claim this world for my own."

"I'm not going to help you." She glared at him as he stalked closer. "I'll die before I help you conquer this world."

"I can be flexible." His smile was evil as he placed his hands on hers. "I can take away everything you care about and then as your world burns will I let you die."

"I'm not afraid of you." She spit in his face.

"You should be." He wiped his face. "Because I can see into your mind and I know who you love and I'll start with him."

"Don't you dare." She struggled against the chains at her wrists. Finally taking the time to look at them, she realized the craftsmanship as Hephaestus', infused with Cronos' power. She took some time to panic silently to herself before she spoke again. "These chains are my husband's. Have you harmed him too?"

"How endearing. Now you care about me." Hephaestus' voice came from behind her. "Actually, Cronos has promised me that if I help him, then I can finally have justice for your infidelity."

"He's going to destroy the Earth and kill every human alive." Aphrodite tried to reason with him. "Are you really going to let the Earth die because of your jealousy?" 

Hephaestus moved around to the front of her and glared at her. "Because of YOUR infidelity and I can guarantee that I will kill your new lover with my bare hands."

Her skin paled at the thought of Owen dying because of her. If she got the items, maybe she could give the Torchwood team some warning. Plans raced through her mind as she listened to Cronos and Hephaestus talk amongst themselves. Glancing back at the chains she realized she wouldn't be able to just transport out of them, not while Cronos used his power as well to hold her there. She'd have to play along and hope that nobody would get hurt, especially not Owen. When they turned back to her, she was ready with an answer.

"I'll help you." Her voice was small. "Let me go back to Earth and work with the Torchwood team. I can use their resources and find the items quicker."

Cronos watched her with amusement in his eyes, observing her for a moment before he nodded to Hephaestus and he released his wife. From the look in her husband's eyes, he hated her. "Heph, I never meant to hurt you. It's my job. I hoped you would understand."

He didn't answer and she walked out the door, her hope for the world gone. She took in the field of wildflowers that stood outside the building for a moment before she fell to her knees and sobbed at the thought of losing all the beauty in the world and the newfound love in Owen. Trying to catch her breath and wiping her eyes, she stood and composed herself before meeting Owen at the boat Jack had arranged. She stood from a distance as she watched Tosh hand Owen a piece of equipment. Finally approaching the boat, Tosh nudged Owen as she saw Aphrodite. Tosh smiled but Owen did not.

"Hi guys." All of Aphrodite's confidence was back. "I'm here to help."

"Let me get you something to change into." Tosh offered, going below deck.

Owen worked quietly as Aphrodite watched him before he threw the equipment back in the box. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Owen, I can explain…." Aphrodite started but Owen interrupted her.

"You're just gone when I woke up. No word as to where you went." He ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry. I can explain. I woke up and didn't want to wake you up. You were sleeping so peacefully so I went up to the roof. Cronos kidnapped me." She followed him as he tried to get away from her. Before she could tell Owen what Cronos wanted her to do, she felt a burning in her mind.

_If you tell him, I'll kill him anyway._ Cronos' voice echoed in her brain.

"He just magically let you go? This is the being trying to destroy the world?" Owen was skeptical.

"He wanted to intimidate me. He threatened to kill everybody I loved; including you." Aphrodite dropped her hands to her sides.

"Bloody hell, Aphrodite, do you not realize that all you are is a shag?" His voice rose as he spoke. "You don't mean anything to me. What did you think would happen? That I would just fall in love with the irresistible Aphrodite and I'd dote on your every want? Not this man, lady. All you are is a way to get the things we need to save the world. You're equipment."

Aphrodite's eyes welled up for a moment before she took a deep breath and cleared them. She turned and almost ran into Tosh, who stood with wide eyes and clothes in her hand.

"Thank you, Tosh. I'll change as soon as I retrieve the thunderbolts." With that, she ran and dove off the side of the bolt. Swimming down, she relished the feel of water on her skin, the pressure that gradually increased. It didn't take long to find the right volcano. She knew which one it was because she felt pulled toward it. Looking for a way in, she saw a tunnel at the base. She swam through it and stepped inside a chamber, her wet footsteps echoing. Looking around, she saw thunderbolts drawn around the room with a riddle at the center of the room.

_If you are a true child of power_

_Place your heart here and pray you are worthy_

_For if not, you will stay here forever_

"A true child of power?" She said to herself. "It has to mean the gods and goddesses. But what does it mean to place my heart here?"

She felt the ground rumble and the thunderbolts clattered to the ground. She snapped and a case appeared and she quickly collected the bolts. Strapping the case to her back she exited the chamber and back into the water. She thought this seemed too easy when she felt something brush against her. Not seeing anything she headed to the surface, climbing back on to the boat. She gave Tosh the box and grabbed a towel, drying her hair. Aphrodite headed down to the cabin and changed her clothes, ignoring the footsteps coming down. She braided her hair over one shoulder as she spoke.

"Hello, Owen." She said with a smile as she secured her braid.

"Look, Aphrodite," Owen took a deep breath.

"It's alright, Owen. I'm the goddess of sex and love. Sometimes I get wrapped up in my job." Aphrodite turned, back to her sexy self.

"I'm sorry," Owen put his hands on his hips. "I shouldn't have said that."

"It's fine, Owen. You were right. It's just about the sex." She bent down to tie the boot Tosh had given her, allowing Owen a glimpse down her shirt. When she stood she said, "No hard feelings. Well, hopefully there's one hard feeling."

Winking as she passed him she walked up the stairs to gaze at the ocean when she heard Hades' voice in her mind.

_Aphrodite, Zeus has decided to handle Cronos himself. You are forbidden to participate in this fight._

_Uncle, you can't do this. Hephaestus has joined with Cronos. I have to fight with my family._

_He is standing firm. Hide yourself because if he knows you have his things, he will banish you for good._

Aphrodite closed her mind and continued to watch the water when Tosh approached.

"Jack and Gwen haven't found the helmet yet, but they say they're close. We're to get the bolts back to the Hub and then go help Ianto find the trident."

"Have you ever been to Greece?" Aphrodite's mind was miles away.

"No, but I've always wanted to go." Tosh smiled.

"It was beautiful a long time ago. Temples were beautiful and well maintained; the people loved us and needed us. The things we stood for meant something. We had power to change things and help people." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Now we are just bed time stories."

"You can still help people. They always need protecting."

Aphrodite stayed silent, lost in her own thoughts and didn't notice when Tosh left or when the sun finally set. She watched the stars dance over the water, impervious to the chilly air. Owen stepped out on deck and approached Aphrodite, standing behind her for a moment before speaking.

"Are you going to stay out here all night?"

"I think so. It's beautiful out here." She didn't turn around. "You should get some rest."

It wasn't until Owen stood next to her that he realized that she was crying quietly. Unsure of what to say, he watched a tear slip down her cheek. Aphrodite sniffled and wiped her eyes.

"Zeus said he would handle Cronos himself."

"That's good, isn't it?" 

"Zeus will spend so much time trying to make sure everybody follows his orders, the world will be half gone before he knows it happened. Now, Hephaestus is helping Cronos because Heph was promised justice for my infidelity." She took a jagged breath. "Love, beauty, plants, animals, music, sex, it's all going to be gone."

"We're going to stop Cronos and we'll stop your husband too."

"How do you know that?"

Owen took her hand in his. "Because with someone like you fighting with us, Cronos doesn't have a chance."

Aphrodite smiled at Owen. "How much longer until we get home?"

"We've got a few hours. Why?"

She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips to which he responded eagerly. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down to his bed, where he resumed kissing her. She started to gesture their clothes away but Owen stopped her.

"I want to do it this time." He unbuttoned her shirt, exposing her breasts which rose with every breath she took. He felt himself pressing against his jeans uncomfortably and quickly undressed them both before lowering her to the bed.

"Next time, I'm going to Hawaii." Jack told Gwen through the comm. "Hot bodies in small bathing suits."

Gwen laughed as they looked around, following the coordinates that Tosh had given them. "How are we supposed to find an invisible helmet anyway?"

"Aphrodite said we would find it." Jack shrugged. "We have to be getting close."

Gwen stepped forward and her leg fell through some ice. "Jack, can you help me?"

He grabbed her hand and pulled her up, the hole she fell through catching his eye. Inspecting it further he saw a chamber inside. "Gwen, we need to get down there."

"How?"

Jack brushed some snow aside and found a plaque. As he brushed the plaque clean, the ground opened up and they fell through, Gwen landing on top of Jack with a loud "oomph!"

"Look, there's the helmet." Gwen said as she stood. "Wait. If it's invisible, why can we see it?"

"Maybe you have to wear it for it to work." Jack offered, stretching his back. "Either way, we need to grab it and get out of here."

He took the helmet and put it in his bag when a growl resonated. They looked around warily before they tried to find a way out. Gwen found a door on the far side of the room. Opening it, they came face to face with an abnormally large polar bear. They paused as they realized it snored loudly and gestured to each other to sneak around him. Tiptoeing carefully around it, Gwen stepped on a patch of ice and almost slipped, catching herself by throwing her body against a wall. She and Jack exchanged glances and exchanged a silent sigh of relief. Gwen felt her heart stop when the bear's large eye opened and registered that there were intruders.

"Run!" Jack shouted, taking the lead and Gwen's hand, pulling her behind him. The bear thundered after them, roaring loudly. There was a hole in a wall that they ran toward, stopping to examine it.

"We're going to have to jump in it." Jack said, drawing his gun and aiming at the bear.

"It smells awful. I think I can smell dead fish."

"Get in there. I don't care what you smell!" Jack fired a few rounds into the bear before following Gwen down the chute in the wall. His body impacted with something hard as he stopped. It took a minute before he realized that they were back in the Hub. Aphrodite, Tosh, and Owen walked in as they stood up.

"When did you get back?" Tosh asked politely.

"Just now. Aphrodite, how did we end up here? We were just in Antarctica." Gwen rubbed her backside.

"Was there a chute that you jumped through?" Aphrodite put her bag down.

Jack and Gwen nodded.

"It used your thoughts. You both were probably thinking of being here and it dropped you here."

"Quite literally." Jack chuckled. "We have the helmet."

"We have the bolts." Owen held the case up. "Two down."

Jack had tried to call Ianto to catch up on his progress. After being assured of his progress, Jack arranged to meet him in Greece that afternoon. Aphrodite filled him in on her conversation with Hades.

"I think Hades will help if I ask him. He's never been afraid of Zeus."

"Are you sure he won't report to Zeus?" Jack filled out some paperwork quickly.

"I'm certain." Aphrodite nodded.

"How do we know these items will work?" Gwen asked as Tosh scanned them.

"They have to choose you. You'll know if they do. After that, they'll only work with you. But we need all three of them. That's one of the precautions Zeus put on them so nobody could use just one."

"Then we need the trident. Ianto and I will be in touch and will let you know when we have it."

"I've been curious, Aphrodite," Tosh spoke. "Why can't you just appear where the items are?"

"Zeus put a spell on them. If you want them, you have to find them. It makes you prove you're worthy."

"I see."

"Jack, be careful. Zeus knows that I'm here and that I have the map. If he catches you, we'll all be in trouble."

"I'll be careful." Jack smiled and she kissed his cheek. He said goodbye to his team and left, leaving the others to wait and pray.

**A/N: I know I used a Star Wars reference. That was mostly because John Barrowman is a SW nerd. Reviews welcome. xo**


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